AP World History Chapter 7: India and Southeast Asia, 1500 BCE- 600 BCE Important Terminology: monsoon Seasonal winds in the Indian Ocean caused by the Vedas Early Indian sacred “knowledge”—the literal meaning of differences in temperature between the rapidly heating and cooling the term—long preserved and communicated orally by Brahmin landmasses of Africa and Asia and the slowly changing ocean waters. priests and eventually written down. These religious texts, These strong and predictable winds have long been ridden across the including the thousand poetic hymns to various deities open sea by sailors, and the large amounts of rainfall that they deposit on contained in the Rig Veda, are our main source of information parts of India, Southeast Asia, and China allow for the cultivation of about the Vedic period (ca. 1500–500 B.C.E.). (p. 152) several crops a year. (pp. 152, 326) varna/jati Two categories of social identity of great importance in Indian karma In Indian tradition, the residue of deeds performed in history. Varna are the four major social divisions: the Brahmin priest class, past and present lives that adheres to a “spirit” and determines the Kshatriya warrior/ administrator class, the Vaishya merchant/farmer what form it will assume in its next life cycle. The doctrines of class, and the Shudra laborer class. Within the system of varna are many karma and reincarnation were used by the elite in ancient India jati, regional groups of people who have a common occupational sphere, to encourage people to accept their social position and do their and who marry, eat, and generally duty. (p. 155) interact with other members of their group. (pp. 154, 155) moksha The Hindu concept of the spirit’s “liberation” from the endless Buddha (563–483 b.c.e.) An Indian prince named Siddhartha cycle of rebirths. There are various avenues—such as physical discipline, Gautama, who renounced his wealth and social position. After meditation, and acts of devotion to the gods—by which the spirit can becoming “enlightened” (the meaning of Buddha) he distance itself from desire for the things of this world and be merged with enunciated the principles of Buddhism. This doctrine evolved the divine force that animates the universe. (p. 156) and spread throughout India and to Southeast, East, and Central Asia. (See also Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism.) (p. 156) Mahayana Buddhism “Great Vehicle” branch of Buddhism followed in Theravada Buddhism “Way of the Elders” branch of Buddhism China, Japan, and Central Asia. The focus is on reverence for Buddha and followed in Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. Therevada for bodhisattvas, enlightened persons who have postponed nirvana to remains close to the original principles set forth by the Buddha; help others attain enlightenment. (p. 157) it downplays the importance of gods and emphasizes austerity and the individual’s search for enlightenment. (p. 157) Hinduism A general term for a wide variety of beliefs and Mauryan Empire The first state to unify most of the Indian ritual practices that have developed in the Indian subcontinent since subcontinent. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 antiquity. Hinduism has roots in ancient Vedic, Buddhist, and south Indian B.C.E. and survived until 184 B.C.E. From its capital at Pataliputra religious concepts and practices. It spread along the trade routes to in the Ganges Valley it grew wealthy from taxes on agriculture, Southeast Asia. iron mining, and control of trade routes. (See also Ashoka.) (p. (p. 157) 160) Ashoka Third ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India Mahabharata A vast epic chronicling the events leading up to a (r. 270–232 B.C.E.). He converted to Buddhism and broadcast cataclysmic battle between related kinship groups in early India. his precepts on inscribed stones and pillars, the earliest surviving Indian It includes the Bhagavad-Gita, the most important work of writing. (p. 161) Indian sacred literature. (p. 162) Bhagavad-Gita The most important work of Indian sacred Tamil kingdoms The kingdoms of southern India, inhabited literature, a dialogue between the great warrior Arjuna and the god primarily by speakers of Dravidian languages, which developed Krishna on duty and the fate of the spirit. (p. 162) in partial isolation, and somewhat differently, from the Aryan north. They produced epics, poetry, and performance arts. Elements of Tamil religious beliefs were merged into the Hindu synthesis. (p. 162) Gupta Empire (320–550 c.e.) A powerful Indian state based, theater-state Historians’ term for a state that acquires prestige like its Mauryan predecessor, on a capital at Pataliputra in the Ganges and power by developing attractive cultural forms and staging Valley. It controlled most of the Indian subcontinent through a elaborate public ceremonies (as well as redistributing valuable combination of military force and its prestige as a center of sophisticated resources) to attract and bind subjects to the center. Examples culture. (See also theater-state.) (p. 162) include the Gupta Empire in India and Srivijaya in Southeast Asia. (p. 163) Malay peoples A designation for peoples originating in Funan An early complex society in Southeast Asia between the south China and Southeast Asia who settled the Malay first and sixth centuries C.E. It was centered in the rich rice- Peninsula, Indonesia, and the Philippines, then spread growing region of southern Vietnam, and it controlled the eastward across the islands of the Pacific Ocean and west to passage of trade across the Malaysian isthmus. (p. 169) Madagascar. (p. 168)